Capitals beat Devils to take division lead
WASHINGTON — Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson had a goal and two assists each, Alex Ovechkin had three assists and the Washington Capitals beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2 on Saturday night to move atop the Metropolitan Division.
Braden Holtby stopped 25 shots as Washington won its eighth straight home game. Christian Djoos had a goal and an assist, and Tom Wilson and Matt Niskanen also scored for the Capitals.
New Jersey had gone eight games without a regulation loss. John Moore scored ate in the first period and Travis Zajac midway through the third. Corey Schneider stopped 30 shots.
Marcus Johansson played in his first game as a visitor in Washington after seven seasons with the Capitals and assisted on both goals.
Wilson got the game’s first goal, his sixth of the season, beating Schneider at 2:26 in the first period. Djoos gave the Capitals a 2-0 lead at 11:09. It was Djoos’ third goal this season and his first since Oct. 21.
After Moore’s goal, Carlson’s fourth at 7:01 of the second made it 3-1. Niskanen added his third goal of the season at 4:25 of the third. Backstrom added his eighth goal, an emptynetter, in the game’s final minute.
The win was Washington coach Barry Trotz’s 737th. He’s now in fifth place on the career list, passing Lindy Ruff. PANTHERS 2, CANADIENS 0: James Reimer stopped 37 shots for his second shutout in three games and Florida beat Montreal at home. Vincent Trocheck and Connor Brickley scored for the Panthers, who won their fifth straight game with Reimer in goal. Brickley also had an assist. BRUINS 5, SENATORS 0: Noel Acciari, Ryan Spooner and David Krejci each scored in the second period as Boston pulled away from Ottawa on the road. Tuukka Rask made 25 saves to record his second shutout this season. PREDATORS 3, WILD 0: Juuse Saros made 29 saves for his second shutout this season, P.K. Subban scored his ninth goal and Nashville beat Minnesota at home. Subban also had an assist. BLUES 3, HURRICANES 2: Scottie Upshall broke a tie midway through the third period and St. Louis held off Carolina at home. FLAMES, DEVILS SWAP PLAYERS: The Calgary Flames acquired defenseman Dalton Prout from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for goalie Eddie Lack. Prout has played 242 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets and the Devils. Lack is 55-53-18 with a 2.60 GAA in 140 NHL games with the Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes and Flames.
PREDATORS PLACE FORSBERG ON IR: Nashville left wing Filip Forsberg was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, ending his regular-season and postseason consecutive games streak at 325. Forsberg leads the Predators with 15 goals and 34 points and is tied for the team lead with 19 assists.